Developing Factual Ideas

Do You Want to Kick Start Your Creativity? Here Are Ten Ways.

In TV development land we are on a constant treadmill of trying to come up with new ideas; and all that spontaneous generation, writing and pitching often comes to a slow, grinding halt when we run out of ideas or enthusiasm. So what to do?

I’ve discovered – in the case of creative block (or just a reluctance to start work) – that walking or cycling for five miles across the marshes near my east London office, past the heron standing sentinel on the edge of the culvert; past the skittish diving ducks under the bridge; and along the path by the red and green narrowboats in the marina, where people eat fried egg butties and drink strong tea whilst dangling their toes above the oily water, does the trick.

At the end of my journey is a cafe where they know my name and a wall of loyalty stars that provide evidence that, over the months, I’ve drunk many more than 100 cups of flat white coffee (often accompanied by homemade a homemade cup cake, slice of ginger crunch or a sticky, chewy meusli bar). After reading two newspapers in succession I set off back to my desk with a full stomach and a pleasantly empty mind. At some point on the return journey I usually have some kind of eureka moment – a new idea, a fresh approach, a fix for a structural problem. When I get back to my desk, buoyed by exercise endorphins, I can’t wait to start work and ideas or writing flow as if by magic.

Design blog ISO50 asked 25 people in the creative industries to share their methods for shaking off a creative block – there’s bound to be a suggestion in there that will help you get your project back on track.

Here are some of their suggestions that I’ve regularly used with good results:

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